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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



THE 

Story of Flour 



\ 



COMPILED AND PUBLISHED 

FOR USE AS A TEXT ON 

WHEAT AND FLOUR 

PRODUCTION 



Published by the 

PILLSBURY FLOUR MILLS CO 

MINNEAPOLIS 
MINNESOTA 



^rs-^ 



"d^ 



Copyright 1^22 by 
Ptilshury Flour Mills Co. 



JAN 30 1322 
IG1.A654421 



I jT.T ViW^ryjirjEy 



r T"gjcrCTJirT tttj tv t j Tj:T"g:^TTJ3rTjaga 



o/;/<; TO THE PILLSimW w 

(In lid oil !ic III ills: 

The silrcr thrviid of life depends nil i/dii; 

So sliiji iiol. neither liusle tin/ irorlr. 

The toil is thine, the labor not in niiii. 

If th:)n but furnish to the hiiiKirii leirld. 

The needs of Ixidi/: 

That tJie soul if eaeh. 

Unhampered by roneerns of habitation. 

May ri.sr to greater heights. 

A nd by the vision gained by this ascensimi 

Descend to do the menial task, the noble 

act, 
II itli stronger j)iirj)ose and less (/nidg- 

ini/h/: 
And thus by thy eonsistenl. ci'iiseless toil 
Confer a blessing on the hniiiaii race. 

— A nony moiis . 






Foreword 

\ 

IN compiling- this booklet "The 
Story of Flour," the author has 
undertaken to eliminate all but 
the most interesting facts, concern- 
ing wheat and flour production ; de- 
pending on the absence rather than 
the presence of statistics to attract 
the casual reader. 
Fully realizing that many compre- 
hensive works have been published 
on the subject, this book is intended 
for the average reader, who desires 
to gain general information with a 
minimum expenditure of time. If 
the perusal of these pages will give 
the reader a fair idea of the won- 
derful progress made in the produc- 
tion of flour in the last fifty years, 
the mission of this booklet will have 
been accomplished. 



The Story of Flour 




Preparing- the Soil 

Cointcsy I iitcniatioiial Harz\-stcr Co. 

Wheat (Historical) 

As far backward as one may care to go with the historian, the inter- 
ested searcher will always find wheat associated with the civilization 
of the period. As a cultivated grain, it can be traced, in Chinese 
History to twenty-seven hundred years B. C, which is perhaps the 
most primitive authentic record available. 

Being the world's most important cereal grain, and the one from which 
we derive our most necessary food (bread), every one has a natural 
interest in its history and production. Many references are made 
in the Bible to wheat growing. It was cultivated by the Israelites 
in Canaan, and formed the chief crop of the Ancient Egyptians. 
Grains of wheat found in the caskets of Egyptian Mummies, are pos- 
itive proof of its existence in ancient Egypt. 

Wheat with the other cereal grains belongs to the family of grasses, 
and has been developed by selection and breeding, during five thou- 
sand years of cultivation until at present we have over one thousand 
known varieties with almost any climatic adaptation. 

Page 7 



THE 



STORY 



F 



FLOUR 




Seeding Wheat 



Courtesy International Harvester Co. 



Production 

Wheat is successfully grown from the equator to within two hundred 
miles of the Arctic Circle, altitude being considered the complement 
of latitude, in its production. Fourteen bushels per acre is the aver- 
age yield, while in some cases fifty bushels are produced. The aver- 
age cost of production ranges from 20 cents per bushel in Oregon 
to 90 cents in Germany (pre-war figures). The world's annual pro- 
duction and consumption is about three and one-half billion bushels. 
The average consumption of wheat in the United States is about five 
bushels per capita. 

The ratio of production of the world's four most important cereal 
grains is as follows : 

Order of Classification 12 3 4- 

Weight Wheat Corn Oats Rice 

Number of bushels Oats Corn Wheat Rice 

Human food Wheat Rice Com Oats 



Pages 



THE STORY OF FLO U R 




Oil Tractor and Five Binders 

Courtesy International Harvester Co. 

Five bushels of wheat are required to make one bbl. (196 lbs.) flour. 
One barrel of flour will make from 240 to 300 one-pound loaves of 
bread depending- on the absorption qualities of the flour, spring wheat 
flour yielding the larger quantity. 

The result of a test made some years ago in North Dakota, to ascer- 
tain the productiveness of wheat was astonishing. Starting with 
one kernel, saving each year's crop and planting it the following 
spring, produced in the tenth season 300,000 bushels. 

The average bushel of wheat weighs 60 pounds, one pound containing 
from twelve to fifteen thousand kernels. 



Page 9 



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FLOUR 




A Threshing' Scene 

Cojirtcsx Intcrnativiial Harvester Co. 



Minneapolis, the City of Mills 

The largest flour milling district in the world is located in the heart 
of the city of Minneapolis, on the banks of the Mississippi River. 
Situated as it is in the greatest hard wheat belt, and the largest 
cash wheat market, and deriving power from the Falls of St. 
Anthony every natural facility is afforded for the maintenance of this 
distinction. 

An average of 500 cars of grain, two-thirds of which contain wheat, 
arrive daily in Minneapolis. 

Estimating the contents of each wheat car at 1,200 to 1,400 bushels, 
one can readily determine the average daily amount of wheat ground 
in the Minneapolis Mills, and then by using the ratio of five bushels of 
wheat to produce one barrel of flour, the average daily output of the 
mills can be approximated. 



Page 10 



T II E 



S T () R ] 



() F 



F L r R 




West Side Milling District Which Contains Seveial Pillsbury Mills 



'Milling History of Minneapolis 



The first mill built at the Falls of St. Anthony was erected by the 
Federal Government in 1823, but did not produce much flour. The 
first mill to be run on a commercial basis was constructed in 1854. 
This mill also had a small output, although too large for the wheat 
production of those days. Wheat was shipped to this mill from both 
up and down the river by boat, to supplement its local wheat supply. 

In 1866 the Alaska Mill was built by the Taylor Brothers, which 
later became the Pillsbury "B" Mill. At this time there were eight 
mills operating at the Falls, with a yearly production of 172,000 
barrels. Today the mills grouped at St. Anthony are capable of turn- 
ing out in two days, 180,000 barrels, or more than the yearly capacity 
in 1866. 



Page 11 



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STORY 



F 



FLOUR 




Old Government Mill Erected in 1822 



The increased transportation facilities, the exporting- of flour, the 
invention of the middlings purifier and the self binder, together with 
the change from millstones to rolls in the reduction process, have all 
contributed to the gigantic strides made in Minneapolis Milling 
History. 

In 1876 Minneapolis Mills produced 1,000,000 barrels of flour, in 1880 
over 2,000,000 barrels. In 1881 the Chamber of Commerce of Min- 
neapolis was organized, and that year 3,142,000 barrels of flour were 
produced. In 1916 the output was 18,541,650 barrels, while Buffalo, 
New York, came next with 5,500,000 barrels. 

The total output of the Minneapolis Mills for the calendar year 1920 
was 16,883,000 barrels of flour. The wheat receipts for the same 
period were 112,366,000 bushels. 



Page 1 2 



THE STORY OF FLOUR 




The Pillsbuvy "A" Group, or the East Side Milling- District 



The Pillsbury Mills 



Forming an important part of this milling center are the Pillsbury 
Flour Mills, with a combined daily capacity of 31,500 barrels. The 
most important mill of this group, the Pillsbury "A," is also the largest 
single flour mill in the world, having enjoyed this distinction since the 
year 1890, when its daily output had increased to 7,200 barrels. Its 
present daily capacity is 14,000 barrels, with 3,000 additional for the 
New South "A" Mill. 

This amount of flour placed in 241/2-Pound bags end to end, would ex- 
tend for 50 miles and would furnish one day's flour ration for both 
Greater New York and Philadelphia, or the entij'e State of Illinois. 



Page 13 



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S T R y 



F 



F LOUR 




The "A" Mill Before the Erection of South "A" 



The '^A'' Mil 



This historic building erected in 1881 on the east bank of the Mis- 
sissippi at St, Anthony Falls is an imposing structure built of blue 
limestone and bearing the rugged outline of Minneapolis buildings of 
that period. Built for a 5,000-barrel mill at a time when a 500-barre] 
mill was considered large, it attracted much attention. Millers of that 
period questioned the ability of the country to produce wheat enough 
to supply it. For some years the mill was not run at its intended 
capacity, part of the building being used as warehouse and for other 
purposes. About 3,000 horsepower is developed from the river, being 



THE 



STORY 



O F 



F L U R 




St. Anthony Falls in 1859 



transported to the shafting of the mill on huge rope drives which are 
driven by two large water turbines, assisting the river in its ever 
increasing task of operating the mechanical equipment of the "A" 
Group. A modern steam plant takes care of the fluctuations of the load 
and makes possible the absorption of all available water-power without 
curtailing the efficiency of the mill. Surrounded as the old mill is, 
with machine shop, power house and mammoth elevators, combining 
to form the East Side Milling District its size is somewhat submerged, 
by the colossal appearance of the group. 

The tall tile elevator supports on its roof, the largest electric sign in 
the Northwest, which, with its 2,500 lamps, contributes an important 
part to the city's night illumination. The "A" Mill, inseparably con- 
nected with the romance of the Falls of St. Anthony, and a bulwark 
of industrial strength to the commerce of the city, vies with all other 



Page 15 



THE 



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FLOUR 




"A" Mill Power House 



points of interest in the Twin Cities, and visitors to Minneapolis should 
not fail to see this monument to man's enterprise. 

About the time of the erection of the "A" Mill, through the intro- 
duction and successful application of the purifier, in Minnesota Mills, 
the hard spring wheat, hitherto considered unfit for bread flour on ac- 
count of the difficulties encountered in separating the bran particles 
from the flour in the milling process, had come into general use as the 
most ideal wheat for flour production. 

The State of Minnesota, with North and South Dakota and Montana, 
produces the best grade of this hard spring wheat, and furnishes the 
largest amount of any wheat growing area in the world. 



Page lb 



THE 



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FLOUR 




State Grain Inspection 



State Grain Inspection 



The Minnesota State Grain Inspection Department governed by the 
Federal Grain Grading Rules, operating through the Bureau of Mar- 
kets under the Secretary of Agriculture, samples and inspects every 
car of v^^heat and other grain coming into Minneapolis, St. Paul and 
Duluth. This is done to protect both shipper and buyer, the grade 
placed upon each car of grain determining the comparative price per 
JbusheL 

To facilitate unloading of grain, through an arrangement between the 
State Inspection Department, and the transportation companies, all 
shipments passing through railroad division points are detained at 
these stations to permit of samples being taken from each car. These 
samples, officially sealed, are carried to the Cities by express train. 



Page 17 



T II K 



H r K y 



F 



FLO U R 




Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce 

and immediately delivered to Inspection Department in the city to 
which they are destined. As the samples arrive from 12 to 24 hours 
ahead of the cars of wheat, inspection and sale can often be accom- 
plished before the shipment arrives at terminal yard, thus giving more 
time for disposition before demurrage becomes effective. Upon de- 
livery at Inspection headquarters the grain is thoroughly inspected by 
highly trained men and the various grades established. 

If the correctness of this grading is questioned, a re-inspection is 
undertaken. If the result of the re-inspection is unsatisfactory, two 
appeals may be taken to higher authorities, the last decision being 
binding upon both parties. Thus the buyer and seller are given every 
possible protection against unfair grades, the authority of the State 
being wielded without fear or favor. A nominal fee is charged for 
each inspection and the department is supported from these fees. 



Page VcS' 



T II E 



s T R y 



F 



F LOIR 







A Section of the "A" Mill Grinding- Floor 



The MillinfT Process in Pillsbury ''A'' Mill 



Two huge elevators with a combined storage capacity of 4,750,000 
bushels supply the "A" Mill with wheat, the grain being carried from 
the various storage tanks to the cleaning house on a system of elevators 
and wide belts. Here all fore':gn substances are removed from the 
wheat after which the kernel is scoured in revolving machines to 
take off the fine wheat hairs which are attached to one end of the 
wheat berry, and only visible under the microscope. 

Other impurities are removed by a washing process, drying being 
accomplished in centrifugal machines, which by their rotary motion 
throw off the particles of water. 

The wheat thus cleaned and polished is next properly tempered by 
the addition of heat and moisture, the object being to toughen the 

Page 19 



THE STORY OF FLOUR 





--- ^ "^ ]t#^ . 


^ 1 ^ 




ii 


ji'r_ _... 


& 




1 


^B 


^ 













Row of Reels 



bran or coverings of the kernel to relieve its natural brittleness, and 
insure its passage through the rolls without becoming pulverized. If 
the bran becomes finely ground no practical way is known of remov- 
ing it from the flour, and consequently the finished product will be grey 
or speckled. As the bread or flour purchaser is very desirous of ob- 
taining bread of snowy whiteness the miller must do his best to pro- 
duce white flour. 



Up to this point everything possible has been done to prepare and 
purify the wheat kernel for its conversion into Piflsbury's Best Flour. 
As it passes into the wheat bin of the "A" Mill and from there down 
a 14-inch spout to the first group of grinding machines, called break 
rolls, the reduction or grinding process commences, and for a period 
of three hours the product travels through the spouting systems of 
the mill, visiting break rolls, sifters, reels, purifiers and reduction rolls 
in its transformation from wheat to Pillsbury's Best Flour. The Hun- 
garian system of gradual reduction, used in the "A" Mill, was brought 
to this country by Mr. C. A. Pillsbury who spent two years in Hungary 

Page 20 



THE 



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F 



FLOUR 




Packing Floor 



thoroughly learnino- this process of milhiig-. The apphcation of this 
method of flour milhng- to Minnesota hard spring wheat, produced a 
wonderful flour, rich in gluten, and protein. The substitution of steel 
rolls for the old-fashioned mill stones greatly facilitated the reduction 
process, as steel rolls will operate on hard wheat for about two years 
before needing resurfacing, while the mill stones must be picked or 
refinished every two weeks. 

Nineteen reductions or grindings are accomplished in the breakers 
and rolls, all located on the first floor (two hundred and fifty in num- 
ber) , one hundred and eighty separations occur on the third, fourth, 
fifth and sixth floors, while the second floor is devoted exclusively to 
packing the flour into bags and barrels. 

After each grinding the stock is carried by means of bucket elevators 
from the basement to the seventh floor to be spouted down through 



Page 21 



THE 



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F 



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Group of Bran Dusters 



the various separating and purifying machines, which are located 
on the third, fourth, fifth and sixth floors on its way to the next group 
of reducing machines, finally passing through the finishing reels, 
down to the packing floor, where it enters the packing machines and 
is placed in sacks ; a beautiful, creamy flour, being protected during 
the entire journey from all contaminating influences, and finally bear- 
ing the trade mark of Pillsbury's Best Flour, 

The bran passes with the middlings through the first five breaks or 
reductions and at the fifth is conveyed to the bran duster, a machine 
built to remove the remaining particles of flour by a process of brush- 
ing. From here the stock goes directly to bran bins to be later sacked 
and sold as animal feed. The bran made by the Pillsbury Flour 
Mills Co., which is packed in cartons and labeled "Health Bran," is not 
the regular bran by-product, but a true product, the wheat being es- 
pecially selected for its bran quality, milled in a separate system, 
enabling it to retain the gluten and protein particles which in the case 



Page 22 



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STORY 



F 



FLOUR 




Row of Purifiers 



of the common bran are brushed off and returned to the flour stock. 
Through the first seven groups of grinders the rolls which crack the 
wheat, are corrugated, each group carrying more and finer corruga- 
tions to the inch. Beginning with the eighth group, the machmes 
are called rolls, and the grinding surfaces instead of being corrugated 
are perfectly smooth, and so continue throughout the remammg 
twelve reductions. 

Thus, as can be readily seen, the milling process as practiced in the 
F'illsbury "A" Mill is accomplished in three stages, five breaks, three 
sizino-s and eleven systems. The function of the purifier is to separate 
from^'tiie middlings stock the fine particles of bran which otherwise 
could not be kept out of the flour. The function of the reel is to bolt 
or pass through a fine silk screen the flour particles, keeping out all 
elements not desired in the finished product. 



Page 2 ? 



THE 



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F 



F L r R 




Laboratory Bakery 



The Pillsbury Laboratory 



The Pillsbury Flour Mills Company maintains a well equipped labor- 
atory to take care of the testing of wheat and flour samples and the 
other technical work connected with that department. Included in 
its equipment are a complete miniature flour mill for grinding wheat 
samples into flour, a perfectly equipped laboratory for making scien- 
tific tests for gluten and nitrogen ; facilities for obtaining the ash 
determination, or the mineral element in the flour; together with a 
complete bakery for making bread from wheat and flour samples. 

The miniature mill includes the usual sifting and purifying machines, 
also eight groups of rolls, and by repeating the milling process in this 
mill, high quality flour samples may be turned out. The wheat blends 



Page 24 



THE STORY OF FLOUR 




Millers Judging Bread 



from elevator tanks are ground in this mill and in this way experi- 
ments in blending different types of wheat are intelligently conducted, 
the resulting flour being baked into bread, and later judged by millers 
and laboratory experts. Another small mill is operated in the labora- 
tory to grind wheat samples obtained from carload purchases, from 
which loaves of bread are made. In addition to this, samples of flour 
are taken hourly at each of the mills and delivered to the laboratory 
where they are tested for gluten, protein, and ash ; the results being 
sent to the various mills with standard samples of flour to be used as 
a guide to the millers in their Pekar-Tests, and daily milling opera- 
tions. The Pekar-Test is accomplished at the mills by placing side by 
side on a piece of glass the standard sample and the flour sample being 
tested, then after smoothing them together and immersing the slide 
in water, it is placed in an oven to dry. After submerging and drying 



Page 2^ 



r H E 



>S T R Y 



F 



F L U R 




Flour Testing- Laboratory 



any difference in quality can readily be detected by a corresponding 
difference in color. By such methods as these being- constantly applied 
the quality of F'illsbury's Best Flour is maintained at such a standard 
of excellence that Good Housekeeping Bureau of Foods Sanitation and 
Health, Washington, D. C, was able to pronounce it 100 7r pure. The 
proper functioning of the laboratory is absolutely essential to uniform- 
ity and purity of product, the two most essential qualities of a perfect 
flour. 

Gluten is maintained in Pillsbury's Best Flour in the proportion of 
about 11'/ to 12'/;. Besides being present in this quantity, it must 
have good strength, as upon it depends the structural qualities of the 
loaf. Acting as an envelope, it encloses the gas generated by the action 
of the yeast in the dough and must l)e of good quality to be successful 
for this purpose as the strength and uniformity of the bread cells 
are dependent upon the quality and quantity of gluten present. Pro- 



Page 26 



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s T R y 



F 



F L U R 




Ovens for Determining Ash Percentag-e 



tein, the nutritive element in bread, is embodied in the gluten, while 
the starch, forming the major portion of the flour contributes the 
sugar or fat-producing element. 

The progress in milling is determined by the head millers and labora- 
tory experts who daily sit as a judging board examining bread samples 
and who govern future milling methods and mixtures on the knowl- 
edge thus gained, always holding in mind the perspective of a perfect 
flour. 

With the milling methods carefully governed by the constant guidance 
of a trained organization ; with the most modern machinery obtainable, 
coupled with the distinctive ideals of the Pillsbury Flour Mills Com- 
pany, the improvement of Pillsbury's Flour is limited only by the lack 
of new discoveries in the process of milling. 

On the next page is shown the Flour Special, a typical method of Pills- 
bury distribution. 

Page 17 



THE 



STORY 



F 



FLOUR 




The Flour Special 



Food Values of Pillsbury's Best Flour 



The relative monetary and energy-unit value of Pillsbury's Best Flour 
as compared with meat, is very interesting and instructive. One 
pound of beef at 27 cents contains about 1200 energy units. One 
pound of Pillsbury's Best Flour at a cost of 41/2 cents contains ap- 
proximately 1600 energy units. The energy ratio per given value 
by this comparison is shown as 1 to 8 in favor of flour. If compared 
with eggs the ratio is 1 to 6. By comparing flour with all other foods 
and judging by energy and protein tests, one cannot help -agreeing 
with'the old adage that "Bread is the Staff of Life." 



Page 2S 



